Our Staff

Martin Sonnenberg - In House Restorer

We are pleased to announce that Martin Sonnenberg has joined us as the in house restorer and assistant to Sean Bishop.
Martin trained at the Milan school of violin making under Luca Primon from 1990-1994 and also trained in bowmaking with Emilio Slaviero and Paul Sadka.
Martin lived and worked in Cremona, Italy for the past 24 years.
He has made over 50 violins, violas and cellos , including a violin for the Becket Collection of the Royal Academy of Music. Although busy with restoring instruments and bows from the collection of Bishop instruments, Martin is available for bow rehairs and instrument restoration work.
Please contact him: martin@bishopstrings.com

Jutta Walcher - Bow Restorer

After my training with Matthew Coltman, I established my own business in London in 1994, making bows to commission and restoring bows.
In 1997 I relocated to Oxford. It was then that I was asked to join the firm of Morris & Smith, a vibrant new firm in Waterloo. I worked there on a freelance basis for two years until the partners closed the shop to join forces with J&A Beare and Sons in London.
In 1998, I entered a bow into the Manchester International Competition for cellos and cello bows, winning the bronze medal. That year I was also selected to have a bow featured in the B.V.M.A’s book ‘The British Violin’.
In 1999, I was appointed - on a freelance basis - to look after the bows of the students, the professors and the collection at the Royal Academy Of Music. members of all the major British orchestras.

Michael Shakespeare - Repairer/Restorer

Michael Shakespeare studied violin making at the famous London College of Furniture. After completing his studies he was employed by one of London’s busiest violin shops and then went on to set up his own workshop in Blackheath, South London.
Michael has worked on many famous Italian instruments and has been the sole repairer of Bishop Instruments & Bows. As well as repair work Michael finds time to make a few very fine copy instruments each year. Bishop Instruments are very lucky to be able to offer these for sale.